Birmingham New Street Station: lnwrbns_str3079

A 1963 view looking East down Queens Drive towards the old covered central entrance with the station footbridge passing overhead. The 19th century cobbled roadway is lined on both sides by free and mostly unrestricted parking which is being well used, although a faded British Railways London Midland Region maroon enamelled sign on the left declares "No Parking - Taxis Only" for at least part of that side of the street. On the skyline, St Martins's mediaeval spire is now in competition with the square outlines of new office buildings with more under construction. The grime associated with steam is well illustrated in this colour view, with dirty cream paint to the left and the blackened glazing on the Midland train sheds on the right. The flat roofed timber buildings behind the wall on the left with strangely tall chimneys and roof ventilators were originally located beneath Paxton's glazed roof to the west of the main trainshed as clearly seen in image 'lnwrbns_str410'. The other side of this building can be seen in image 'lnwrbns_str407', being the Coffee tavern provided by the LNWR for their staff.

Toby Clempson

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